The origin of species today. (From another Chris thread)

[Watcher]

I've watched and read quite a bit of creationist material and a lot of it seems to be just a lack of understanding but some of it is deliberately fraudulent. In particular, the levels that the Intelligent Design crowd are happy to stoop to. Even when it comes to the very basics like the difference between the general use of the word 'theory' and 'scientific theory'.

Our kids are going to grow up in a world where the economy is most likely going to be based on knowledge and invention. I can't, for the life of me, understand why people are happy to even try to adulterate science with the supernatural when it comes to their children's education.

Someone I know who is in an American Highschool mentioned in his biology class the teacher stood up and said he did not personally believe in evolution but was "forced" into teaching it.

Many of these bills are put out by representatives on the "Science" board in those states. In a lot of cases they'll lie and try their hardest to discredit evolution.

[youtube]eMzW813WJ1c[/youtube]
These are nominees on the board of science in education in Texas. These people try to discredit things that are central to modern medicine such as cell theory and explanations of Bio-Diversity.

 

[teheviltwin]

EDIT: Thanks for that video it was really interesting. Am I the only one who has the overwhelming urge to braid AronRa's hair?

It honestly irks me that they care so little for the children that they'd push their superstitions on them and try to ruin their education.

Irreducible Complexity is such a bunch of bollocks. It's been debunked so many times by so many different scientists. Behe can go eat a bag of dicks.

 

[Watcher]

It's been debunked so many times by so many different scientists.

[youtube]pzrUt9CHtpY[/youtube]

"Someone has to stand up to experts"

 

[teheviltwin]

"Someone has to stand up to experts"

Vive la révolution!

I hate quote mining like that. I don't know if that guy is deliberately being misleading about what Gould said about stasis or if he has only read the 'edited' version but either way he should not be allowed anywhere near science textbooks.

 

[Holdek]

"Someone has to stand up to experts"

Vive la révolution!

I hate quote mining like that. I don't know if that guy is deliberately being misleading about what Gould said about stasis or if he has only read the 'edited' version but either way he should not be allowed anywhere near science textbooks.

Yeah, it doesn't really matter. Even if he did read the unedited version, he is so invested in creationism that he would honestly misinterpret it .

 

[Pikimon]

I can't really discredit evolution since a large part of it is involved in my studies (medicine, psychiatry, pharmacology,genetics etc.) and I get a chance to firsthand see how evolution works and how it applies to our lives. So chalk me up to being convinced that evolution is real.

My issue with creationism and intelligent design being in taught in public schools, is that kids who learn it are at a significant disadvantage if they ever enter college and decide to enter a field of study that has to do with biology, medicine, psychology, or anthropology. A lot of our understanding on diseases and ailments com from evolution and when you teach a kid that evolution is tantamount to a deity just plopping down the world and all its living forms in a few days I can't help but pity them (in a non-condescending way of course).

I see those kids every once in a while, they are genuinely either frustrated and frequently say "But I was taught..." or just sit there, dumbfounded as they hear how genetics work. A lot of them drop out right there and then but a select few stay behind with genuine curiosity and later on change their views.

 

[Watcher]

or just sit there, dumbfounded as they hear how genetics work.

I always find that aspect amusing as genetics was first discovered by a German monk. Nevermind things like Animal Husbandry has been done for thousands of years and it is entirely genetics at work.

I remember my Biology teacher mentioned his sister owned a cattle farm and she got a degree in genetics that directly aided her in raising and breeding superior cattle.

 

[exball]

Proof evolution is fraudulent.

 

[KatsuKitty]

Evolution is not a "belief". It is a nearly indisputable fact. That we even have this debate seriously in 2014 is shocking.

 

[OtterParty]

Isn't genetic drift a component of evolution? How'd it get its own separate theory?

(I believe our distant ancestors were the executives, bureaucracy, middle management and other unnecessary components of society who were tricked off another planet by prophecies of doom concocted by the more productive citizens of that planet. Joke's on the guys who stayed, though. The entire civilization was wiped out by a contagious disease that was transmitted by telephone.)

 

[Watcher]

Evolution is not a "belief". It is a nearly indisputable fact. That we even have this debate seriously in 2014 is shocking.

There's more evidence for evolution than gravity.

 

[Pikonic]

Isn't genetic drift a component of evolution? How'd it get its own separate theory?

(I believe our distant ancestors were the executives, bureaucracy, middle management and other unnecessary components of society who were tricked off another planet by prophecies of doom concocted by the more productive citizens of that planet. Joke's on the guys who stayed, though. The entire civilization was wiped out by a contagious disease that was transmitted by telephone.)

You're right about genetic drift, when I made this thread I probably should have put natural selection instead of evolution. Unfortunately I was rushing a little because I was trying to save a Chris thread from being derailed

 

[Surtur]

Evolution is not a "belief". It is a nearly indisputable fact. That we even have this debate seriously in 2014 is shocking.

Its more about politics than anything else.

 

[Watcher]

The Reddit who posted this image claims that the quiz was given to his friend’s daughter in a private religious school near Greer, South Carolina. He hesitated to specify the school in order to protect the identity of his friend’s child. “I don’t want the kid to get in trouble, so I am keeping that under my hat until June when school is over,” he claimed. The user also stated that his friend wasn’t happy about the test, which is why it was posted online. “Friend’s kid took it. Friend was livid, showed it to me…” He claims to have taken a photo of the quiz with his iPhone.

My favorite part of this is that the correct answer for Behemoth is a Brontosaurus. When the Behemoth as it is described in the Bible closely resembles an Elephant. Indeed contemporary artwork of the Behemoth closely resembles either a cow or an elephant.

 

[Smokedaddy]

According to the current vote tally, we have 7 people that are one or more of the following:
1) trolls
2) too stupid to stand on their hind legs

 

[Null]

According to the current vote tally, we have 7 people that are one or more of the following:
1) trolls
2) too stupid to stand on their hind legs

Or just people that don't take random polls seriously and pick whatever sounds the funniest to them.

I know we have at least one person who is likely to be a creationist, though.

 

[Bgheff]

According to the current vote tally, we have 7 people that are one or more of the following:
1) trolls
2) too stupid to stand on their hind legs

Or just people that don't take random polls seriously and pick whatever sounds the funniest to them.

I know we have at least one person who is likely to be a creationist, though.

No, I am a troll.

 

[Holdek]

"Map: Publicly Funded Schools That Are Allowed to Teach Creationism:"
http://www.slate.com/articles/healt...ed_where_tax_money_supports_alternatives.html

 

[c-no]

According to the current vote tally, we have 7 people that are one or more of the following:
1) trolls
2) too stupid to stand on their hind legs

Or just people that don't take random polls seriously and pick whatever sounds the funniest to them.

I know we have at least one person who is likely to be a creationist, though.

I'm pretty sure that one person is myself if intelligent design can count. Now if any of you don't mind, you may throw rocks at me for I'am too stupid. Seriously I don't mind.

 

[Holdek]

According to the current vote tally, we have 7 people that are one or more of the following:
1) trolls
2) too stupid to stand on their hind legs

Or just people that don't take random polls seriously and pick whatever sounds the funniest to them.

I know we have at least one person who is likely to be a creationist, though.

...you may throw rocks at me for I'am too stupid.